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Well, butter my biscuit 🧈

Biscuit making 101 at Lizard’s Thicket
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The Lizard’s Thicket on Elmwood at 5:15 a.m. getting ready for the morning rush. | Photo by COLAtoday
Lizard’s Thicket’s kitchen is going full speed by 5:30 a.m. before the 6 a.m. rush of customers begins rolling through the drive-thru and gathering in the dining area.

That’s when the Renwood Mills biscuit mix hits the mixing bowl, the butter and buttermilk hit the flour, and the dough is gently folded together.

David here. 👋 Last Wednesday morning, I met Sara Krisnow — the granddaughter of Bob and Anna Williams, who started Lizard’s Thicket 45 years ago — at the Elmwood location an hour before sunrise to see how the Thicket crew has been making biscuits all of these years.

Lizard’s Thicket currently has 13 locations in the Midlands and one in Florence.

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Lizard’s Thicket biscuits pulled fresh out of the oven and ready to serve. | Photo by COLAtoday

Pro biscuit maker Wayne Davis makes it look simple. If you’ve had a biscuit from the Elmwood location in the past 35 years, Wayne was likely the one who made it.

He has it down to an art. I didn’t see a measuring cup in sight — just a perfectly shaggy dough rolled out and folded together with the “pretty side up.” The biscuits were then cut with an old round cutter and placed snugly together on the tray.

Over 30 biscuits fill each tray that’s loaded into a 350-degree oven, surrounded by trays of cooking bacon. Wayne peeks in and rotates them about halfway through the 18-minute process for an even golden brown biscuit.

While that batch is cooking, the process is repeated. So, if you roll in at 6 a.m. for your morning breakfast, your biscuit is straight out of the oven.

By the numbers at Lizard Thicket’s 13 Midlands locations:
  • 364. The number of days a year Lizard’s Thicket is open (every day except Christmas.)
  • 13,500. The yearly number of gallons of buttermilk.
  • 177,750. The yearly number of pounds of flour.
  • 251,172. The yearly number of biscuits.
  • 4 million. The number of meals served at all Lizard’s Thickets each year.
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Tuesday, Feb. 28
Wednesday, March 1
  • NYC Saxophonist Zaid Nasser Quartet | Wednesday, March 1 | 8-11 p.m. | 711 Saluda Ave., 711 Saluda Ave., Columbia | $10 | New York City jazz legend and saxophonist Zaid Nasser returns to Columbia for this intimate concert at the old Speakeasy/White Mule space in 5 Points.
Thursday, March 2
  • First Thursday on Main | Thursday, March 2 | 6-10 p.m. | Main St., Columbia | Enjoy an evening of live music, great food, and more.
  • Kenny George Band, Will Overman, Darby Wilcox | Thursday, March 2 | 7-11 p.m. | New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St., West Columbia | $12-$15 | For fans of melodic country, folk, and southern rock, the Kenny George Band headlines joined by Upstate songwriter, Darby Wilcox.
Friday, March 3
  • Craftsmen’s Classic Art & Craft Festival | Friday, March 3-Sunday, March 5 | Times vary | SC State Fair Grounds, 1200 Rosewood Dr., Columbia | This event features original designs and works from hundreds of talented artists from across the nation.
  • Off The Wall & Onto The Stage: Dancing the Art of Jonathan Green | Friday, Mar. 3 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | The Township Auditorium, 1703 Taylor St., Columbia | Columbia City Ballet presents Off the Wall and Onto the Stage: Dancing the Art of Jonathan Green bringing the Gullah-inspired paintings to life through creative choreography and innovative sets.
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
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Need a new lunch spot? đŸ±

Need a new lunch spot? đŸ±
Presented by a COLAtoday Partner
A customer eating Boku's Lunch Bento Box with chopsticks.
Take your tastebuds on a trip and enjoy Pan-Asian flavor in the heart of The Vista. | Photo provided by Boku Kitchen & Saloon
It will be lunchtime before we know it, Cola. Want to add new flavor to your weekly lineup? Enter: Boku Kitchen & Saloon’s newly-launched lunch hours.

Boku is now open for lunch Monday-Friday starting at 11 a.m. Enjoy Pan-Asian dishes from Boku’s dinner menu like Char Siu Pork Bao Buns, Pow Shrimp, Pho Noodles + more, or try their Lunch Bento Box.

The Bento Box (defined as a Japanese-style packed lunch or a decorated wooden Japanese lunchbox), allows guests to choose an entree, side, rice, and salad or soup for a tasty + fulfilling lunch special for just $14.

Oh, and no need to worry about parking — Boku’s free parking lot (shared with neighboring restaurant, Motor Supply) has spaces available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Pro tip: Take advantage of the buzzworthy specials that happen throughout the week. Think: Maki Monday, Tito’s Tuesday, and Whiskey Wednesday.
    Is your mouth watering yet? Hit the button below to make a reservation.*
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    Weather
    • 82Âș | Mostly sunny | 2% chance of rain
    Coming Soon
    • Bahn Mi Boys is opening this spring at 625 Whaley St., Suite C, near 701 Whaley St. This will be the fourth location for the restaurant chain that started in Louisiana and serves Vietnamese sandwiches and New Orleans-style po’ boys. đŸ„–
    • Iron Hill Brewery is opening this summer in the BullStreet District, according to a new sign out front. First announced in the spring of 2020, the family-friendly brewery and restaurant will open in time to grab a bite before a Columbia Fireflies game. đŸș
    Development
    • Lexington County School District Two’s $52 million performing art center is set to open in less than a year. The 72,000 sqft space will include a 1,500-seat auditorium and give the district a central location for the 8,600-student district’s growing arts community. (The Post and Courier)
    Sports
    • Senior star player, Aliyah Boston, had 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Gamecocks Women’s Basketball team on Sunday as they defeated Georgia 73-63 on Senior Day. Next up, they’ll take on either Arkansas or Missouri on Friday, March 3 in the first round of the SEC tournament happening in Greenville. 🏀 (Gamecocks Online)
    • The Gamecock’s baseball team swept Penn this weekend, making the team 8-0 to start the the season for the second time in three years. The team has been big on the long ball so far this season, hitting 26 home runs in the first eight games. ⚟ (Gamecocks Online)
    Community
    • New landscaping is planned for several gateways to the Columbia area that will include colorful flowers, crepe myrtles, and palmettos trees planted along a one-mile stretch near Columbia Metropolitan Airport and at the Interstate 77 interchange at Fort Jackson. Updates are also planned for several other entry points into Cola. 🌮
    Concert
    • Grammy-winning country music star and SC native Darius Rucker will be headlining Upcountry Fiber’s charity concert, Southern Fried Circuit, on Friday, July 28 at the Anderson Civic Center (3027 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., Anderson). Profits will go to the Upcountry Fiber Foundation to support local charities in Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg counties. Grab tickets.*
    Travel
    • Score big this March. Visit Greenville, South Carolina, the “Basketball Capital of the South,” for the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament. Enjoy all the SEC action while exploring what Forbes names as one of “America’s Best Downtowns.” Plan your visit.*

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    Let’s get fiscal

    Filing your taxes in Columbia, SC
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    Don’t let tax season be a stressor — these resources can help. | Photo via Unsplash
    For better or worse, it’s that time of year again — tax season. Before you stress, we’re here to share some guidance for filing.

    First and foremost, see the IRS’s list of up-to-date tax tips. It covers frequently asked questions like understanding business travel deductions and how military members and their families can receive help with their taxes at no cost.

    Columbia is also home to these local tax resources:
    Ready to get started filing your taxes? File online with H&R Block’s four different filing options, from free to Premium. Or, file with a tax pro’s help. Don’t forget, the last day to file your taxes is Tuesday, April 18.*
    GET FILING
    THE WRAP

    Today’s issue was written by David.

    Editor’s pick: One of the first things I noticed in Lizard’s Thicket is a huge pot of collards on the stove and of course, the smell of freshly cooked bacon. Most popular on New Year’s Day, every day’s a good day to have freshly cooked collards grown at Rawls Farm in Lexington.

    Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Learn about the difference between a city and a county, here.
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    Editorial: Samantha Robertson, David Stringer, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith| Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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